Winds of Freedom

Chapter 16: Long Time No See... A Hooligan's Reunion I See!

{Pre A/N}

Ugggggggg, I have been busy revising some of my other chapters, changing some minimal stuff, but nothing drastic. Anyways, let's go.

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Chapter 16: Long Time No See... A Hooligan's Reunion I See!

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Relic Mountain - Kingdom Stone's Chamber

Spade, one of the high-ranking officials of the Red Scarves-a notorious underground syndicate of ninjas, thieves, and assassins across Avalice-stood before them. The Kingdom Stone at his feet, radiant and majestic, glowed on its pedestal, casting an ethereal light across the chamber. The two sides stared each other down, eyes locked.

Lilac was the first to break the silence. "What do you think you're doing?!" she demanded, her tone sharp with disbelief. "That's the Kingdom Stone!"

Spade's lips twisted into a mocking smile. "Gee, really?" he responded, dripping with sarcasm. He gestured lazily at the stone. "I thought it was just a fancy rock I stumbled upon."

Lilac's fists tightened, her eyes burning with anger. "Don't play games!" she snapped. "What do you think you're doing?"

Spade rolled his eyes, bored with her questions. "Sash, you're starting to sound like a broken clock," he sneered, calling her by her first name made Lilac flinch. His tone shifted, growing colder. "Why do you care? With this, I'll finally have my father's killer. Not like a couple of traitors like you two would care."

Sonic, standing off to the side, caught the flash of pain that crossed both Lilac and Carol's faces.

Carol stepped forward, her claws extending as she glared at Spade. "I'd rather be a traitor than a murderer!" she fired back.

"The Red Scarves left us no choice!" Lilac added, her voice trembling with emotion-anger and sorrow mixing together. Her eyes locked onto Spade's, a silent plea for understanding hidden beneath the intensity.

Spade's expression hardened, his green eyes cold and unyielding. "And you left me no choice!" he yelled, leaping into the air. From his belt, he threw several playing cards at them, each one detonating in a bright flash that lit up the chamber like fireworks.

Reacting quickly, Carol launched a flurry of rapid kicks, while Lilac spun into her Cyclone attack, deflecting and destroying the explosive cards as smoke billowed around them.

Spade landed gracefully back on top of the Kingdom Stone's altar, a smug grin spreading across his face. "Heh, still keeping up with your training, I see," he taunted.

Carol glared up at him, ready to spring into action. "You want a fight? Come and get it!" she challenged, her tone fierce.

Spade's grin widened, but there was a dark edge to it. "Oh, I'd love to stay and dance, but unfortunately, Mayor Zao and Doctor Robotnik have a tight schedule," he said smugly. Zao? Robotnik?! The three of them thought with shock as he grabbed a rope. "Besides, if something else is guarding this thing, I'd hate to be around when it wakes up."

Lilac shot Spade a deadly glare, her teeth gritted in fury. "You're insane, you know that?!" she shouted. "You'll never get away with this!"

Spade merely smirked, unfazed. "Heh, we'll see about that."

With a swift, sharp tug on the rope tied to the stone, the Kingdom Stone began to rise from its pedestal, with Spade perched on top.

Lilac's eyes widened in horror. "No!" she cried out, her voice filled with desperation.